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Some contrarian opinion. Changing hooksize on any plug, or swapping a big siwash for a treble changes the balance and action of the plug. It is fine to do it, just be aware. Putting a dressing on any surface plug reduces the ability to walk the dog. Again, that's OK, but not necessarily better. Barbless hooks generally result in more hookups, not less. Barbs may save you a few fish (though not many), but eventually will cause you a trip to the ER and lost fishing time.
Surface plugs with erratic action typically result in missed strikes or glancing hook sets and lost fish. Factor in fast moving water such as the canal and the drag from your retrieve changing the expected drift of the target (from the fishes' perspective) and you should expect to lose lots of fish on pencils. In calmer water with less current and slower retrieves it is less of an issue.
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